BACK PAIN BLOG UK IS A PERSONAL JOURNEY OF A CHRONIC BACK PAIN SUFFERER. MY SITE IS FULL OF THE LATEST TREATMENTS, PRODUCT REVIEWS, THERAPIES, DRUGS, TIPS AND WEBSITES ON BACK PAIN, FIBROMYALGIA and ARTHRITIC CONDITIONS.

FIBROMYALGIA TREATING – 6 OF THE BEST PAIN KILLERS…

Advil – Advil is a brand of ibuprofen, first developed in 1962. It is a type of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug or NSAID. There are different brands of ibuprofen, but Advil is one of the best known. Similar to Tylenol, Advil is used for pain or fever relief. However, unlike Tylenol, Advil also soothes inflammation, making it one of the most effective fibromyalgia painkillers.

Aspirin – Plain old Aspirin is also a NSAID like Advil, and it’s also one of our favorite fibromyalgia painkillers. The chemical name of Aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid or ASA for short. The use of willow and other salicylate-rich plants has an ancient history, being used by the ancient Sumerians. More recently, ASA in its pure form was distilled in 1899 by a scientist working for Bayer. There are also other brands available such as Bufferin, Entrophen and house brands. Like Advil, because it has anti-inflammatory properties, it can provide fever and pain relief. However, unlike either Tylenol or Advil, Aspirin also works to thin the blood and is therefore often used to prevent stroke and heart disease.As part of the NSAID class of drugs, Aspirin inhibits COX-1 and COX-2 to provide relief from pain, fever, and inflammation. While most NSAIDs also inhibit platelets in the blood, Aspirin does so irreversibly for eight to ten days, the full lifespan of the platelet. It is this which gives it the ability to act as a blood-thinner, but can also make you more prone to bleeding.

Tylenol – The generic name of Tylenol is acetaminophen and it’s also on our list of fibromyalgia painkillers. This drug was discovered and marketed in 1956. It is called acetaminophen in the US, Canada and Japan, and paracetamol elsewhere. Unlike Advil and Aspirin, Tylenol is not in the NSAID category. Because it works on the nervous system instead of inflammation, it is more effective than NSAIDs for fibromyalgia pain.

Tylenol is used for pain or fever relief, but it has no anti-inflammatory action. Therefore, it won’t affect any underlying inflammation that can cause pain. Conversely, it can have a greater effect on pain like fibromyalgia where the pain is brought on by conditions in the nervous system rather than inflammation.

Amitriptyline – Unfortunately, there has been a long history of fibromyalgia being treated as a psychosomatic condition, so naturally, you might be suspicious if your doctor prescribes an antidepressant as one of the fibromyalgia painkillers. However, there has been a great deal of success in treating pain through tricyclic antidepressants like Amitriptyline.It is believed that this is because the mechanism for fibromyalgia pain is chemically based on the neurotransmitters that carry pain signals to the brain. Many of these same neurotransmitters are involved in depression, which helps explain why antidepressants can help with fibromyalgia pain.

Unlike Tylenol, Aspirin, and Advil, Amitriptyline is not available over-the-counter. It is only available through a prescription. The drug can also help with sleep issues that come with fibromyalgia. So it can not only help with pain, but help you get more and better sleep.

It’s also not much of a surprise if the chronic pain of fibromyalgia might have made you depressed. Because there is generally a linkage between physical and emotional health, it will be helpful if it’s possible to elevate your mood. So in another way, an antidepressant can help with fibromyalgia suffering.

Lyrica – Lyrica is an oral medication that is classified as an anti-seizure or anti-convulsant drug. Lyrica is the trade name of the drug Pregabalin and it’s one of the more effective fibromyalgia painkillers. It was the first drug approved by the FDA for treatment of fibromyalgia. Like Amitriptyline, Lyrica is not an over-the-counter drug and must be prescribed.Lyrica binds to a part of the nerves and it is thought that this reduces the ability for nerves to send pain messages to each other; it slows down impulses in the brain that cause seizures and affects chemicals in the brain that send pain signals across the nervous system.

Opioids – There is little doubt that opioids do the job, and they will almost definitely be one of the most effective fibromyalgia painkillers. However, they also carry a very significant risk of creating dependence. For this reason, while there is very little question that opioids are effective, it is generally seen as a measure to be taken only after other treatments have been tried.However, because antidepressants and anticonvulsants can take several days to take effect, opioids are sometimes prescribed in conjunction with other drugs. Also, where other options aren’t effective at relieving pain, long-acting opioids are often prescribed to stay on top of the pain while other solutions are explored.

For me personally, I have tried everything on the list except Aspirin and Tylenol. I was surprised Paracetamol was not on the list which is something I have used instead of Aspirin as I have always thought aspirin was not good for your stomach. I find Amitriptyline a godsend for help with my sleep and have been taking Opioids for around 20 years now. I also take a small dose of another antidepressant every day.

It’s trial and error for all chronic pain sufferers but I do feel that you should not give up quickly, some of these types of drugs take time to get into your system and time for the side effects to settle down.

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One of my closest friends gave me this lovely tile with the words ‘Never, never give up’ to help me on my hardest days. I have it where I can see it every day to inspire and motivate me when I’m down. Four simple words is all it takes to work for me but I […]

For anyone suffering from fibromyalgia, knowing where to apply self-acupressure may help ease some of the symptoms associated with the disorder. I am suffering greatly at the moment with fatigue and nonrestorative sleep due to fibromyalgia and bulging disc problems in my neck and lower back. I seem to fall asleep fine but then I […]